Mirrors of Magic
by Oz-The-B-Rabbit
Summary: Those two, one in the same, so close but never once touched, for it was sin and therefore impossible. One surrounded by happiness, the other drenched in misery. The balance has been broken and shattered from selfishness and irritation, and he intends to make it right once again, if not for the both of them, then only to see that beautiful smile of hers again.
1. Chapter 1

There was a tower, hidden among an untouched forest. It had grown old during the years, mold and vines decorating the outside, dirt and mud littering the walls and rust forming on parts that had been made with metal in the material. No one knew it existed except the royal family, and even with its height, it was a challenge to spot over the trees that toppled over it. It wasn't exactly devoid of life; in fact someone "lived" there.

A forgotten prince, embraced by misfortune had made this old, unstable tower his home some few years ago- he had forgotten when exactly.

The war had started before he was born and reached his kingdom in a matter of years, the first instance being the murder of the king himself. This was enough of an incentive to attack as it was, and the army, with no guidance, ran into the battlefield. The kingdom fell apart, the queen and adolescent prince refusing to rule despite the ordeal, and it became the next victim of the kingdom across the sea, Miyoi. The prince, guided by the queen, had been taken to the tower and told to live there until it passed over. Over those long seven years, the prince had let his voice die off with his hope, and his heart eventually closed.

That was the situation currently, but it wasn't like he could change it or anything, he lacked authority and determination.

A sigh escaped his lips as he stared at the all too familiar scenery. A bird flew near his window and he stuck out his arm and let it land, a happy chirp coming from the creature. He took note of its appearance, the yellow feathers going from the bottom of the chin to near its stomach indicating that it was a Yellow-breasted chat, and he let a small, empty smile grace his features. The birds and animals surrounding the tower had gotten used to him and his seven years of being there, the birds fondest of him. They had grown used to his quiet and reserved nature as well, also knowing that when he smiled, it was never genuine. The animals were smarter and much more affectionate than people gave them credit for.

The bird tapped his nose with his beak and his smile wavered, but didn't vanish. He moved from his spot but the bird stayed at its spot on his arm, another warble coming from it, albeit quieter than the last. He placed the bird on a tree branch as he pulled a small tin from a small dresser; the tin was filled with different things he had found beforehand, the majority being blackberries. The bird flapped its wings gently, flying over to the boy before landing on his fore and middle fingers, eating the treat quietly while the boy looked on curiously. He was fascinated by this bird, remembering his studies at his old home faintly- the memories were more of a reminder of why he was here in the first place, rather than something to look back on. Once done, the bird flew to the windowsill and lifted its left wing, the boy responding with his right. The bird flew off to a nearby tree where he would still be able to see it and went to its nest.

The boy looked around him once his gaze left the bird feeding its children. A tattered but usable bed lay at his right, the small dresser to his direct left and a table with an abundance of papers and pencils in front of him. Other things lay precariously around the room, like changes of sheets and clothes. He hadn't bothered to use the bed; it had worn with age and constant use when he was only an adolescent. His eyes averted to the table and he sat down in the old chair that was in front of it. He grabbed a pencil and paper to sketch out the bird, a small smile gracing his lips. It was still empty and dull, as was the boy.

There was no reason to act as if he was happy, because he was truly miserable. His only reliefs were the animals that surrounded him.

After finishing the sketch and deciding to himself to finish it later, he stifled a yawn and looked out the window. Even with the imposing trees, he could see the moon rising into the sky. He stretched out his body, earning a few cracks and jolts as he shook from the action afterwards. Looking over to the sheets that lay on the opposite side of the room, he grabbed the pillow that rested on the bed and placed it next to the window. He eased himself into a position he was comfortable with and let his conscious fade to the dusk that surrounded him, letting the sound of the forest lull him to sleep, his heartbeat the only sound in the sullen room.

The next time he woke, the light of day invaded his vision and he rose without hesitation, looking around and sighing. He stood up and walked over to the desk, finishing off his picture in what he imagined was at least an hour and a half at best. He had forgotten how to tell time with numbers, he instead used the amount of light that leaked in from his window and the position of the sun, if he could see it that is. A series of whistles reached his ears and he turned to his window, the same bird glancing at him from the windowsill. The boy smiled and walked over to his new friend, the bird landing on his shoulder as he got close enough. He gently scratched the bird's head and let out his own series of calls and whistles that were somewhat similar to the ones the bird had let out, and let the bird respond before continuing the "conversation". After finishing the petting and setting the bird on the table, he went over to his dresser and got a small tray of both berries and dead animals to hand to the omnivore, placing the tray on the windowsill to attract a few others. After a few seconds, a nightingale and wood thrush flew over to the table, causing the chat to fly in the direction of the boy. A quiet chuckle danced across the air, as he knew his little friend would be afraid of the others. It was reserved as him. With a few chirps and whistles, the bird visibly calmed and flew back to the others, getting along with them rather well. He set the tray in front of them and they began eating, saving a majority of their young.

He walked over to the window and glanced down at the ground, a few deer feeding on the plants around the tower. He relaxed, but that only lasted a few moments as he jumped once he heard the deer screech and run away, as if in danger. This caused the three birds to look out the window as well. He held out his arm and the birds all flocked to him, each landing an inch or two away from the other. He set the birds on a tree branch nearest to his window and looked out the window, his eyes widening when a man came to his view. As quickly as the man appeared, he disappeared and the boy had to shake his head to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned slowly to meet a man clad in the clothes of a magician, his top hat tilted down so the boy couldn't see his face. After a few moments of staring at the man, he gasped and kicked up, missing the man as he bent down and wrapped an arm around the boy's waist. He struggled and whined, the sound putting a strain on his vocal chords, seeing as he didn't use his voice to make human-like sounds often at all. The man let of him, however, and he dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. He glanced at the intruder and found a small smile on the man's face, the simple expression confusing him.

"I suppose you're wondering why I am here, aren't you." It was more of a statement than a question, but it surprised the boy all the same- he had gone so long without the sound of another human that he had almost forgotten how to understand him. Once the words set in, he nodded slowly.

"Well, you will find that out soon enough, my dear prince," The man said, smirking. The boy was stunned at this point. His frozen expression was turned into one of confusion as he stared at the object the man had given him. It was a mirror in a frame of silver and amaranth, the handle curved slightly. The boy stared at his reflection in confusion. Questions were swimming in his mind as he pondered the point of the interaction.

"I can see you're confused," a small laugh came from the man, as if to tease him, "Let me explain. That mirror is sort of a gateway. There is another you, whose personality is very similar to yours, but there are, of course, some differences. There are two sides to every coin, and in this world, that expression is taken quite seriously. On the other side of the mirror, everything is reversed. So, who is the reason for your misfortune? Try asking the mirror, my boy. You will be surprised by the result."

The prince looked at the man as if he had two heads. His head was spinning try to understand the information dealt, and he glanced at the mirror. His hands unconsciously gripped the handle harder and his body shook lightly. The idea of finding the source of his misfortune seemed like a dream to him, but part of him asked why he shouldn't accept the chance. With that note, he looked at the mirror and took a deep breath.

"Show me… the cause of my misfortune," he whispered. He almost dropped the mirror when he saw the young girl in the mirror, in place of his reflection. She was the spitting image of the prince, a smile gracing her features as she welcomed her servants with a smile. He felt anger build up within him and a million of accusations flew through his head, but only once broke the surface.

"That… wench… ruined everything… she ruined my life…" His voice was still soft and raspy, but it was filled with absolute hatred, despite his calm personality. Even he was surprised by his tone. The man kept his carefree smile; it had even begun to bother the prince some.

"Well, don't you want to get revenge?" It took no time at all for the boy to nod and hand the mirror back to the man. His smile only grew larger.

"Your wish is my command, my prince."

A spiking pain went through the prince's mind, and he could've sworn he had heard one akin to his, but more feminine. The pain was too much as the he landed on his knees and let his hands tug as his head, silently pleading for it to stop. It hurt too much for him to bear. He fell to the floor, his vision becoming blurry and the outline of the man leaving barely visible as he fainted, his world becoming devoured by a cold black.

The sound of soldiers met deaf ears as they searched the tower, catching the birds that sat on the branch for study, but even then they were of least importance. The prince was found, and that was all that mattered to them.


	2. Chapter 2

Her world was falling, and she could see only the world in monochrome, watching as innocent servants and maids were brutally murdered by their former allies. She wasn't exactly sure what exactly brought all this on. One minute she was having tea, and the next she was running down the corridor with her father dragging her, for her legs just wouldn't work for her. A few bullets ripped into her dress and skin, and she winced at the contact. She glanced at her surroundings again.

Blood littered the walls and floors, bodies filled the hallway and the stench of copper could be smelt everywhere. It was repulsive and cruel, but she could do nothing about it.

She just lacked the determination and authority.

She could feel something drip down from her head, and didn't notice the bullet that had skimmed the part over her eyebrow. The pain intensified when being accompanied by the horrid headache she had, and she had to bite her lip to keep the scream in her throat. Letting the enemy know where she was, as if they didn't know despite where she went, wasn't something she wanted. Her father turned to look at her, and all she saw was disdain. She was not sure if she had done something to upset him, or if it was just the situation at hand, but she shrunk under his gaze nonetheless. She felt the light tug on her arm become much stronger and they ran through the corridor faster, almost tripping on the body of the dead maid, Ring as the princess vaguely remembered her in the panic, after taking an abrupt turn to the right.

Her father was getting tired, as was she, but they couldn't stop running until they knew they were safe.

Sadly, that safety never came for her.

The second the king had opened the front doors, both him and the princess were held at gun point by several scouts. A small growl of defiance came from the old man, getting a gun pressed against his cheek in response. A woman walked into the crowd the attackers had made, a sly smirk on her features but otherwise emotionless.

"Now, you have two options, my dear Choukichi," he snarled at such a casual use of his name, "We kill all of your loyal subjects, or you give up your title as King and let us expand and take you and your little daughter hostage. Choose."

The princess looked up her father, the gun that was pressed against her neck now pressing against her shoulder. She was mortified at the thought of being hostage, but she knew that the citizens of their kingdom, Jikoshi, were more important than their own lives. She respected that, and she felt the same way.

But, somehow, this whole situation bothered her. It didn't seem right to her, like some kind of intervention was required to make this horrifying experience even worse than it was. Her headache had been growing more and more abundant as time went on, and her vision began to get blurry and her head dizzy for whatever reason. She hadn't had a hard time keeping her head up or eyes open, she was sure, and this wasn't just a normal headache from fear. She hadn't even had the urge to _cry_, surprising enough for her. She was sure, even with her high stature and low self-respect, that at least she would soil her underwear or vomit, something. But not even a whine came from her as she was being dragged down the corridor, and the only emotions she were feeling currently were dread, and for some reason, loneliness. She added everything together, and as farfetched as it may have sounded, it made perfect sense in her mind.

Someone was toying with her reality.

She barely had time to register her surroundings and she was thrown in the arms of the woman that had been talking to her father, eyes wide. She turned to see her father looking at both her and the woman with a pained smile.

"I propose another choice," he said quietly, ignoring the bullet that was surely going to enter his temple, "You may take my place, but instead of taking both me and the princess hostage…" There was a small pause before he sighed at looked at his daughter, and she knew what he was going to say.

"Father! Please-!" Her mouth was then promptly covered by the woman's gloved hand, and when she realized what was going to happen, she couldn't help by close her eyes. Even so, with all this happening, she had no urge to cry and the small droplets that she normally welcomed wouldn't appear.

"Instead of taking both me and Rin hostage, you have permission to kill me in exchange for her life and your new rule of the country."

Rin thrashed and screamed in defiance at the proposition her father had made, even though she knew it would get her nowhere. It was a pain that she couldn't feel, a sadness that she couldn't grasp, and that made the situation all the more traumatizing.

Then it all stopped when the woman nodded her agreement, adding, "I'll take care of the princess, my dear Choukichi. Just because your lasting luck has run out, doesn't mean hers has to, right?" The woman then pushed Rin near the King in a 'say-goodbye-we-don't-have-all-day' sort of manner.

She glanced at her father, who wore an apologetic look, before hugging him tightly and breathing in his scent so she wouldn't forget it. He had always smelled like citrus like she had, but he had more of a concentrated and spicy addition to it, Rin had always loved it. She felt him crouch down to her level and gently kissed her cheek before hugging her briefly. Before Rin made her way back over to the woman, he placed a trinket around her neck and kissed her one more time, breathing in her scent and looking at her face once more speaking.

"I love you, Rin. Please, take care of yourself. Mother and I will be watching you from now on, okay? Don't let this affect your wonderful personality. You're all I have left, and I don't want to see you give up over this. I'm sure your mother would hate it if that happened. You're a strong girl; you'll make it through okay. Can you promise me that?" Rin gave a reluctant nod in respond to his request, hugging him for the last time and kissing him on the nose, her little secret spot. He ruffled her hair. "Good girl. I'll say it again, I love you. Never forget me, okay?" Once she slowly backed behind the woman and nodded, she could have sworn the woman looked regretful before he put her arm to the side and called the order.

Her father gave her a smile, a genuine smile. Rin returned it, although painfully, clutching onto the trinket as if it were her lifeline, which at the moment, it was. She let out a small phrase that he heard clearly despite her low volume, one she found herself choking over.

"I love you, daddy."

The gun went off, a silver bullet ripping its way into the King's skull, and he fell to the ground, blood leaking from his head and on the walls. A few droplets found its way onto Rin's face and dress, and she stared at his body, expressionless.

Then, all those emotions came at her in a wave of anguish.

She fell over onto her knees, letting her tears run down her face, scalding her. Her throat began to go raw from her sobbing and wailing, and she could feel the arms of someone wrap around her midsection in a gentle gesture. The guns that were pointed at her were lowered, and a voice whispered in her ear quietly.

"I'm sorry this had to happen, dear," she recognized the voice as the woman, the intimidating and powerful tone she had used before disappearing into a comforting hum. Rin couldn't help but lean into the touch, her trembling and crying being heard from even inside the castle. The remaining maids and butlers became stiff as they looked at their princess, the cheery, curious and mischievous girl that they all had grown to love, even if she annoyed them sometimes. The sight of her was hard to look at, her form broken and pitiful.

They had lost their King, and with their princess being taken, they slowly closed the windows as the mansion began to grow silent, the only sounds being the silent cries from the beloved employees.

Rin's weeping slowly but surely turned into soft sobs and hiccups. The woman picked her up and carried her, wrapping an arm around her back and the other under her body to keep her steady. A frown was in set on her face, worsening only when she looked at the dead king on the cobblestone, shielding the princess' eyes from seeing anymore of her torture.

She almost jumped when a voice called her name. "Luka, it's time to go. Stop dwelling on that piece of flesh and help us throw away the corpse." She glanced at her partner and sister, Meiko, with an annoyed expression, shaking her head.

Luka sighed. "I think I'll watch over the princess… at the very least, she needs some type of comforting." Meiko scoffed and waved her hand in dismissal before heading over to the others and discussing what they were going to do with the body. Luka felt the princess moving, and she glanced at the girl before realizing that she was looking at her as well.

"… Miss Luka…" Rin's voice sounded so unsure and it cracked many times on those two words along, that Luka couldn't help but stroke the girl's blond locks gently. She knew she wasn't a child, from her knowledge the princess was almost fourteen, but the princess leaned into the touch all the same.

"Is the war going to start again?"

Luka flinched at the question and glanced at the ground before sighing and patting the girl on the back.

"I'm afraid so, dear."


End file.
